Apparatus for testing flying-machines and learning the art of aviation.



R. ALEXANDER-KATZ. APPARATUS PUB TESTING FLYING MAGHINESAND LEARNING ART OI AVIATION.

APPLIUATION FILED 00T.11, 1909.

Patented N v 8, 191m UNITED STATES RICHARD ALEXANDER-KATE, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

" invert,ed certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Use in Testing 1ying-Machines and Learning the Art of Aviation, of which the following is a specification.

This-invention relates to apparatus for use in testing flying machines and learning the art of aviation. Its object is to provide a traveling, suspensory support for the aviator and his machine, and'broadly comprises an aerial track from which the flying machine is rotatably suspended from one end of a I rope or equivalent, the other end of which is attached to a suitable counterweight.

A construction embodying the invention is 3 shown in the accompanying drawing, in wh1ch Figure l is a diagrajnnnatic plan view of the track and Fig. 2 an elevation of the suspensory appliance on an enlarged scale.

Pillars a support horizontal bearers l) to which are bolted supports d and the track is formed by one or two parallel rails or wire ro es a resting upon tie supportstl. The axl es of one or. more rollers gplaccd upon the rail or rails or. ropes 0 are provided with a yoke e. From said yoke 12 a pulley 1' is suspended by means of a swivel hanger r 1 A rope h passing over the pulley 'r'has attaehed to one of its ends a vessel-1T, and to the other end a snap-hook o. The vessel 11 is traversed by a vertical tube-ih for the orifices of which openings are providedin the lid and bottom of the vessel. The ro'pe h traverses the tube 11 and has attached to it, above and below the vesselxi, abutments lc and Z respectively, which are incapable of passing through the 'tube i, so that they limit the,

travel of the rope h on the pulley r, and consequently limit -the.upwar d and dowmva'rd movement of the vessel .2 andhook a. The purpose of'the vessel is to serve as a weight which can be regulated by more or less charging the vessel with shot or with a liquid, as at F.

-The flying machine is attached to the rope h by means of the hook o and while the machine is quiescent its weight drags the vessel i upward, until the. said vessel is stopped by the abutment lc. Sus 'ended inthis manner the aviator and mac ine are capable of rotatingabouuh xis at .the...hen 9 "W1 Specification or Letters Patent. Application filed October 11, 1909. Serial No. 522,139.

. APIEARATUS FOR TESTING FLYING-MACHINES AND LEARNING THE ART OF AVIATION.

Patented Nov. 8,1910.

also .of travelin in thedirect-ion of the track c or back. 1 the machine, when working, is capable of ascent, it is free to rise untal the abutment Z strikes the vessel 5, the ascent Q0 balanced, the balancing weight being radually reduced as progress is made in t e art.

It is preferred that the track should not be of circular form, but composed of strai ht lines and curves since on'one hand centri ugalforoewould unfavorabl influence the 10 steering of the aviator, an on the other hand the practice of passing fr'om the straight flight to that of a curve is of high importance. This straight line and curved drawing.

What I claim as my inventionand desire to secure by Letters Patent of theI'United' States is i 1. A device of the character described comprising anaerial track, a suspensorydevice rotarily supported by and adapted to travel on said track, a flexible member passingover said suspensory device andto-one i v u 1 end of which the flying machine or aviator to the other end of said flexible member, and means for limiting movements of ascent and descent of said counterweight and object suspended from-said member. 9 0

2. A device. of the character described comprising an aerial. track, a trolley adapted to travel thereon, a swivel pulley rotatably supportedby said trolley, a rope passing i may be suspended. a counterweight attached l the flying machine or aviator 'may be suspended, a counterweight attached to the other end of said rope, and means carried by the latter 'for limiting movements of asobject suspended from said roe.

3. A device ofthe character escribedcomprising'an aerial track, atrolleyadapted to travel thereon, a swivel pulley rotatably over said pulleyto' one end-of whichrope the flying machine or aviator may be suspended, .a. counterweight attached to theother end of said ropeand providedwith a passes, and abutments on said rope coacting structure is sliown in F 1g. 1 of the annexed 75,

over said pul'ley-to one'endof which ropecent and descent of said counterweightand 10 supported by said trolley, a rope passing channel through which a portion of the rope 1 -wil,h .the lower and upper portions of the I I ,lne over said suspensory device and to one end of which the flying machine or aviator may be suspended, a countem'eight attached I 10 the other end of said flexible member, said colnilenveiglitcompri 'ing a hollow body and lllUfiU ballast contained therein, and means lor limiting; movements of ascent and deseent ol" said counterweight and object suspended from said member.

In witness whereof I have signed this wecilieation in the presence of two witmesses.

Ra'nun) ALEXANDER-KMZ;

Witnesses \Vowmu'ui lla l m, HENRY HASI'ER. 

